The mining sector inherently creates distinctive challenges to worker safety that require greater security measures.
Every company wants to prioritise the wellbeing of their employees, but the mining sector creates unique challenges for such a cause.
Mining companies frequently transport large numbers of people in and out of remote locations, operating mining camps that include accommodation, meals and leisure facilities.
Much of the mining workforce is fly-in, fly-out (FIFO) and there is a changing demographic, with increasing numbers of female workers entering what has traditionally been a predominantly male environment.
In this article, Australian Mining explores how electronic access solutions can help address those challenges, enhance staff experience and welfare, while also driving operational efficiency.
What is electronic access?
Electronic access solutions use a keycard, fob or mobile phone as the user’s ‘credential’, instead of a key.
The credential is programmed specifically for each worker, providing easy access to the areas – and only the areas – for which they are authorised. A complete electronic access system helps manage staff experience as well as site operations.
Staff safety
When staff are on site, they need to feel that they are as safe as they would be in their own home, without feeling imprisoned.
With electronic access solutions, every worker can be sure they are the only person that can access their room.
If they lose their keycard, it can be instantly cancelled, and a new one issued, making it far safer than a physical key.
Electronic locker access means staff can safely leave items on site, knowing their belongings will be secure until they return.
With electronic access, mining companies can create single-sex areas, such as toilets and bathrooms. Facilities such as laundries and sports areas can also be switched to female-only access at certain times of the day.
Improving the journey
Every time a flight lands, hundreds of workers will arrive on site and be keen to get to their room, or even get straight to work.
With that number of people all arriving together, check in and allocation of keys can cause long delays and staff frustration.
With electronic access, the user keeps their credential, and it is simply reprogrammed to remove and reinstate access each time they arrive and leave.
Integration with transport booking systems means that the system knows when the worker is due and can automatically reprogram their key at the switchover time, and even flag a non-arrival alert if they do not access their room.
Newly arrived workers, armed with their credential, can go straight to their room, significantly improving their journey experience.
Audit and analytics
Electronic access solutions provide invaluable insights through the data they capture, helping companies to enhance staff experience and improve site management.
For example, the audit trail shows if someone has tried to access an area for which they are not authorised – meaning the company can take the appropriate action.
Adrian Taber, workforce accommodation lead for access solutions provider Salto, explained how the data capture can be used to benefit operations,
“The system can help to optimise resources,” Taber said. “For example, by identifying if rooms are not being fully utilised, the system shows that there is scope to bring more workers onto site.
“Or in meal areas, turnstiles with electronic access can show if any workers are entering more than once each mealtime.”
If the mining company uses a facilities management company to manage the work site, the electronic access solution data can help them to evaluate the FM provider’s performance – for example, checking that each room is being accessed by the cleaners every day – to ensure maximum efficiency.
Electronic security solutions can be a vital tool to provide the safety and experience that will attract and retain great staff, while also creating greater operational efficiency.
This feature appeared in the May 2025 issue of Australian Mining.